June 20, 2017 View in browser
U.S. car buyers who enjoy a bit of adventure have been being Volvos, Mercedes, and BMWs in Europe for years and driving them around a bit before saying a temporary "good bye" and having them shipped back to the states. As BMW has built its headquarters into an experience hub (of sorts), it's formalizing the tourism aspect of its sales process in a new partnership with Butterfield & Robinson that will build on the BMW experience via pre-packaged itineraries for car buyers. Shopping is also the key for our second story about luxury consumer habits as we look at a Bain report that has good news for some markets and serious warnings for others.

In our conversation with Kimpton CEO Mike DeFrino, the leader of IHG's most forward-thinking brand talks about "luxury without the attitude" and why it's different than traditional luxury offerings. Over in Europe, Finnair CEO Pekka Vauramo explains how his carrier is reshaping connections between Europe and Asia — especially China — and what that means to destinations at both ends of the flights.
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5 Looks at Luxury
BMW Picks Butterfield and Robinson as Its Exclusive European Tour Operator
European car pick ups have been a thing for decades now, but BMW's move to add B&R to the mix is an additional selling point for the right kind of traveler.

Interview: Kimpton CEO Sees IHG Helping to Propel Its International Expansion
The hotel company that started the boutique hotels movement in the U.S. wants to set a precedent for scaling up — without losing its soul in the process. But can it succeed?

What the Growing Market for Luxury Goods Tells the Travel Industry
There's good and bad in this report. Spending will continue, of course, but it is shifting into new markets and leaving some legacy markets in the lurch.

CEO Interview: How Finnair Plans to Crack the Potentially Lucrative Chinese Market
Not every airline can be a global behemoth. Finnair mostly focuses on its niche — connecting Europe with Asia, including secondary Chinese cities.

Exquisite Late-Night Room Service Is Alive and Well at These Luxury Hotels
Inventive and indulgent room service is alive and well at these luxury hotels around the world.
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